The Impact of Space Technology on Our Daily Lives, Part 1 of 2

In this show, we will explore some of the most fascinating spin-offs from the study of astronomy and space exploration activities and showcase their role in shaping our everyday lives.

In 1958, the United States founded the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). That same year, the United States launched SCORE, the world’s first communications satellite. It captured worldwide attention by transmitting the first radio broadcast from space: a pre-recorded Christmas message by former US President His Excellency Dwight D. Eisenhower.

In 1960, the United States sent the first weather satellite, called TIROS-1, into orbit. This mission proved that weather could be observed from space and allowed meteorologists to track storm patterns over several days for the first time.

In 1961, a former US President, His Excellency John F. Kennedy, announced the most ambitious space project yet: sending astronauts to the Moon. The historic Moon landing was accomplished on NASA’s Apollo 11 mission by astronauts Neil Armstrong, Micheal Collins, and Buzz Aldrin.

On July 20, 1969, 650 million viewers worldwide watched as Astronaut Neil Armstrong took the first human steps on the lunar surface. “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

In 1998, five international space agencies came together to develop the largest structure ever built by humans in space: the International Space Station (ISS). The ISS took over 10 years and more than 30 missions to assemble. Some of the primary fields studied at the ISS include human anatomy research, space medicine, life sciences, physical sciences, astronomy, and meteorology.

As of February 2024, over 3,700 experiments originating from people in 108 countries have been conducted on the ISS, leading to approximately 500 research articles published in scientific journals.

Since NASA launched the SCORE satellite 66 years ago, satellite technology has revolutionized communication across the planet. The internet, mobile phones, televisions, and navigation systems all make use of satellites. Satellites are also very useful for obtaining meteorological data, which is very important for predicting the weather.

For more information about NASA’s satellite date, please visit: EarthData.NASA.gov